DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks practiced on Sunday before heading on their upcoming five game road trip. Head coach Jason Kidd talked to the media after practice and spoke glowingly of Kyrie Irving.
Irving recently opened up on his first year with the Mavs, as Dallas acquired him before the 2022-23 NBA trade deadline last February.
“I have my own beliefs and views,” Irving said after the Mavs' 113-97 victory on Thursday. “I think, here in Dallas, I have been accepted way beyond just my talent on the court. I think it is for what I represent in the broader world.”
I asked Kidd to share his thoughts on Irving's first year in Dallas after Sunday's practice.
“Whatever he said,” Kidd said jokingly. “No, he's been great. When you talk about the embrace of coming to Dallas. Some of us, we've known him for a long time. I think he's really enjoyed the city of Dallas. I think he's enjoyed the people here, the organization. You can see that in his play. He's playing at a high level right now for us. Again, as being a quarterback and one of the leaders of the team, I think his first year has been incredible.”
Kidd was one of the best guards in the league during his time in the NBA. He knows what it takes to be great, and he obviously believes in Irving.
The Mavericks head coach was later asked about his bond with Irving.
“Yeah, it's closer,” Kidd said of his bond with Irving. “You spend a lot of time together. There's a lot of conversations. He wants to be one of the best when it's all said and done. My job is to help him get there.”
Kyrie Irving continuing to enhance legacy with Mavericks
Irving is already a great player with Hall of Fame potential. He could retire today and be remembered as a superstar. But Irving is still only 32 years old and obviously has plenty of great basketball left in his career.
Irving's talent on the court is impressive, but he's also a tremendous leader. He works hard and genuinely seems to want the best for each one of his teammates.
Irving played a pivotal role in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers win their championship in 2016. LeBron James led the way, but Irving's impact was immense.
He can further establish his legacy by leading the Mavs to a championship. Although the Western Conference features no shortage of talent, the Mavs are playing well and the Kyrie Irving-Luka Doncic duo will give Dallas an opportunity to make noise during the postseason.
It's clear Kyrie enjoys the city of Dallas as well, which is something Kidd mentioned. Irving is also embracing his role as a leader.
“It feels great. It is something we don’t take for granted because it has taken time to build,” Irving said when asked about translating his leadership onto the court after Thursday's win. “We’ve had to be patient. We’ve had to build through adversity and also some of our failures. That has been the beautiful aspect of it. Through our struggles, we’ve been able to come out on the other side and see some glimmer of the light and turn it into wins.”
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